Ain't Life Just Dandy
by HPbrat
Summary: This is my version of the gang's fifth year at Hogwarts. Harry has another rough year (sorry buddy-boy!) and, somehow, discovers the opposite sex (not cho! that bee-yatch should die!!!! don't mind me...*giggles*)


Hi people!!!! I got bored with The Theory of Relativity series, plus I couldn't figure out what should happen next, so I started a NEW SERIES!!!!! Aren't I smart? lol. Anyways, this series is about what happens in Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts. It starts out H/C, but who says it has to stay that way… ::evil laugh:: I hope you like it and, as always, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll luv ya forever, I swear!!

# 

# Ain't Life Just Dandy, chapter 1

"Having a lie-in this morning, eh Harry?" said Ron as Harry puttered into the Great Hall and took a seat at the Gryffindor table.

"Yeah. I just couldn't seem to fall asleep last night," replied Harry. He poured himself a goblet of orange juice, buttered a piece of toast, and started discussing tonight's upcoming Quidditch match: Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw with Fred and George.

"I don't know, Harry. The Ravenclaw team's been practicing. I saw them at it the other day while I was on my way to Herbology. They've got some great moves. Their seeker, um…I know this…damn, what is that girl's name?!" said Fred.

"Its Cho. Cho Chang," said Harry.

At this, Fred and George exchanged knowing glances across the table.

"Okay, Cho then," continued Fred. "She just got a new broom, a Nimbus 2001, like all the Slytherins have got. She's really good. You're going to have to watch your back tonight."

"Don't worry, I will," said Harry.

"Yeah, sure. If he's not too busy watching the lovely Miss Chang," George mumbled to his twin.

Just then, the daily onslaught of owls erupted into the Great Hall. The whirl of feathers was a welcome distraction from Fred's conversation to Harry. Thinking about Cho always gave him a sort of tingly feeling in the pit of his stomach, a feeling he thought it best to avoid when he was trying to eat.

A large screech owl landed in front of Hermione, with a copy of _The Daily Prophet_ clutched in its beak. She put a little bronze coin in the drawstring pouch attached to its leg and set her paper aside for the moment. Hermione always liked to finish her breakfast before she read her paper. After she finished her scrambled eggs, she glanced at the front page and promptly went as white as a sheet.

"Oh…! Oh my God…." she said.

"What's wrong?" asked Harry with concern in his voice.

"Nothing! Its nothing," she replied, a little too quickly.

"Let me see that thing," Ron interjected, gesturing to the newspaper Hermione was clutching. She reluctantly handed it over to him.

"Whoa! Oh my…that is REALLY sick!" Ron exclaimed after seeing the article that had upset Hermione.

"Will someone PLEASE tell me what the hell is wrong?!?!" said Harry.

Without a word, Ron handed the newspaper to him. Harry saw immediately what his friends had been looking at.

** **

** **

**Harry Potter "Burned" Last Night**

Reports of dark activity in Knockturn Alley have been coming to us for quite some time. However, when the madness is moved to the steps of our very own Gringotts, steps must be taken.

At approximately 9:45 last night, a mob of witches and wizards unknown were seen holding what appeared to be a rally on the steps of Gringotts. All were said to be wearing black, non-descript robes and face masks. They had hung an effigy of Harry Potter from a lamppost with a noose. They then proceeded to light the figure ablaze, at which point authorities arrived. All of the witches/wizards responsible for this heinous crime Disapparated before any could be apprehended and taken in for questioning. The fire was successfully extinguished and the effigy was taken down and destroyed.

As you know, Harry Potter is credited with defeating the dark lord in infancy and many times since. He is thought of by many as the savior of the magical world.

Though the Ministry refuses to comment at this time, there is no doubt in this reporter's mind that the perpetrators of this crime are now or have been Death Eaters.

BY: Jonathon Stallin 

Next to the article was a small, black and white photograph of a burning dummy. It looked a lot like one of those mannequins you sometimes see in department stores, modeling the latest fashion for men. Except, of course, it was on fire. And, it had a bold lightning scar that stood out lividly on its forehead.

"Oh shit…." murmured Harry.

"Well, it's just an effigy, Harry. Nothing bad is going to happen to _you_. I mean, so some idiots got drunk, broke into a department store, and decided to have some fun with a mannequin. So what?" Ron said, trying to comfort his best friend.

"Actually…" chimed in Hermione. "Effigies are usually used as warnings. My sister is studying the Revolutionary War, and she told me that the American colonists used to make effigies of British tax collectors and hang them from trees outside the tax collectors home. Soon afterward, that tax collector would be dead."

"Really comforting, Hermione!" Ron snapped. "Why do you ALWAYS have to be so…so…so Goddamn practical?!!"

"Harry is a big boy, Ron!! We don't have to protect him from the truth!!! You're just upset because I proved you wrong…AGAIN!!!!"

With that, Hermione stomped off.

"Can you _believe_ her, Harry? Who does she think she is?" said Ron after a few uncomfortable moments of silence.

"I'll tell you what she is, Ron. She's right. I went to a Muggle school before I came here, remember? We learned about the Revolutionary War in fourth grade. The colonists _did_ use effigies as warnings."

"Oh…." said Ron.

"Listen, I'm going up to the dorm. I need to…think. Go on to class without me, okay?" said Harry. He turned and left, but not without taking Hermione's paper off of the table. He took it with him to his room, the same room he had shared with Ron, Dean, Seamus, and Neville since he was eleven. Well, Harry was fifteen now. He felt like he was about sixty sometimes.

When Harry reached the dorm, he pulled a pair of scissors out of his trunk and cut the article and picture out of the paper. He then sat down to write a letter to Sirius, his godfather who was currently in hiding. He had broken out of prison, a prison he had been sent to for a crime he didn't commit. Ain't life just dandy?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sirius Black thought he might die from heat exhaustion. This South-African climate was not agreeing with him, although he had acquired an incredible tan. His air conditioner was out for the third time this week, so needless to say, he was _not_ in a good mood when Hedwig, his godson's owl, swooped in through his open bedroom window. She landed softly on his pillow and plopped a rather thick envelope down on the bedspread. Sirius was always glad to see Hedwig, because the letters delivered by her were just about the only bright spots in Sirius's rather bleak little life right now. These letters were from Harry Potter, Sirius's best friend James Potter's son, Sirius's godson. Sirius had only met Harry less than two years ago, after he had broken out of Azkaban, but him and Harry had taken to each other almost immediately.

Sirius lived for letters from his godson, even if they were only short little notes scribbled and sent between classes. He opened this letter eagerly, after stroking Hedwig and giving her a dish of water. The trip from Britain to South-Africa was a hard, long one, especially in this heat. 

Dear Sirius,

How are you? It's been a while since my last letter, I'm sorry. I've just been really busy with school and Quidditch. Well, I'm going to make this letter short; I'm already late for Charms. This article was in _The Daily Prophet_ this morning. Is it a warning? I just wanted your advice on what I should do. I have to go now, but please write back soon.

-Harry

"Harry Potter "Burned"…Oh my Lord!!!!! James!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Sirius walked into what appeared to be a completely empty room at the very back of his house. He started pacing and talking at the same time.

"This is a warning! What else could it possibly be?"

::silence::

"No, I do NOT think we should tell him! What am I going to say, exactly? Sorry to disappoint ya, Harry, but THESE THINGS HAPPEN!!!!!????? I don't think so!"

::more silence::

"Fine…fine….I'm going up there. Because I want to keep an eye on my godson, that's why!!!!!" shouted Sirius.

Sirius told Hedwig to go home, changed into the big black dog that was his Animagus form, and started walking north, towards Harry.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters portrayed in this story


End file.
